As the author whose work jump-started the Star Wars Expanded Universe, Timothy Zahn is understandably interested in what will happen to that body of work once Star Wars Episode VII hits theaters. Will the first sequel wipe out the entire EU, or will it skirt around as much of it as possible while still providing what we've been told will be "an original story"? How many books and comics will be blasted into canonical oblivion by the new movies?

Zahn recently spoke to Entertainment Weekly about the EU and the mysterious Episode VII. In this except from the interview, Zahn shares some of what he was once told about how the sequels would mesh with the existing canon:

But years ago, he was briefed on Lucas’ plans for sequels, and how the Thrawn books would fit in. “The original idea as I understood it— and Lucas changes his mind off and on, so it may not be what he’s thinking right now – but it was going to be three generations. You’d have the original trilogy, then go back to Luke’s father and find out what happened to him [in the prequels], and if there was another 7th, 8th, or 9th film, it would be Luke’s children. The Thrawn Trilogy really would have fit into the gap,” the author said.